Family Ties
by Purpwithapen
Summary: Nothing is more precious than family. Nothing. When a hot call hits a little too close to home, how will members of Team One cope?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story in awhile, but inspiration struck and well, here we are! Thank you for reading! Please leave a review. Good, bad or ugly, I want to hear it all! Also, HUGE thank you to Missblueeyes63 for taking time from her busy writing to be my sounding board for this one. Thank you! Enjoy!**

Sam followed closely behind the Boss and Wordy, covering all angles as they made slow progress towards the distraught woman. He moved to the side while Wordy remained in front of Boss with the shield. He reluctantly pointed his MP5 at her head and whispered, "I have the solution."

"Regina, my name is Greg Parker from the Strategic Response Unit." Greg took one step to the right of the shield, exposing half of his body.

"Please! Just get out of my house! We're fine here!" Regina held tightly to the beautiful, peacefully sleeping baby in her arms. She kept her voice low, but couldn't keep the desperation from creeping in.

"We can't do that Regina." Greg maintained eye contact with her as Ed and Leah moved in from behind, close enough to make a move for the baby if necessary but far enough back not to spook her. When she took a shuddering breath, he tried again. "That's right. Take a few breaths for me. Everything is going to be okay."

Regina used her free hand to swipe at the tears streaming down her face. _This isn't how this is supposed to be. Why can't they just leave me and Vera alone?_ "Please. You don't understand." Her tear-filled eyes met caring, chocolate ones. "We just want to be left alone."

"Boss. Got some more info on our subject-" Jules said over the headset as she hit end call on her cell phone.

Greg stepped back behind Wordy and answered quietly, "Go ahead." After listening for a moment, he stepped from behind the protective barrier.

"Why won't you go?" Regina unconsciously started swaying as her eyes locked with the blond's piercing blue gaze. "Are you going to shoot us both?"

"We don't want to shoot anyone Regina." Greg tipped his head, trying to gain her attention.

"Could you do it?" She demanded of the armed officer. "Risk the baby by killing me? Take an innocent life and injure a helpless child? Would you be able to sleep tonight?"

Stunned by her accusations, Sam fought to keep his gun trained on her and drown out the words. The grey area they routinely travelled was never easy. The choices often heart wrenching. Two days ago, he nearly had to shoot a mother in front of her two young children during a parental abduction. He quietly begged her not to make him pull the trigger and was relieved not to have to do it. Sam took a steadying breath, never moving, steeling himself against her verbal onslaught.

Wordy glanced at Sam. _Damn. This is harsh._ He stepped to his left, away from the shield. "All we want is for everyone to go home safe Genie."

"Kevin?!" Regina's eyes rounded at the familiar face. _Oh god. Oh no, no no!_ Her terror-filled eyes flicked from Greg to the blond to Kevin.

"Wordy." Greg continued to watch the woman decline back to red.

"I'm okay Boss. She needs a familiar face,-" Wordy whispered. Returning to his normal voice. "Genie, we only want to make sure that you and the baby are alright."

"We're fine,-" Regina mumbled and loosened her arms, letting the baby's face slip into view. "She's perfect."

Boss took Wordy's shield and pulled his gun to cover him.

"She is. Do you mind if I hold her?" Wordy took a step forward away from cover.

"Wordy,-" Greg warned quietly.

"No she's fine." Regina shifted her gaze back to Kevin and took a step back. "She's safe with me. No. Get back!" She glanced behind her and caught a glimpse of the bald officer to her right. She hugged the little girl to her chest which made her start to fuss. "No! Stay away from us!" She switched Vera to her left arm, gripping the butcher knife she hid in the blankets in her right. Wild, desperate eyes moved between the officers.

"Genie, take a breath. Slow down a moment," Wordy stated calmly.

"No! I won't let you take my baby!" Genie yelled as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. She snuggled Vera close, the knife pointed safely away, her heart breaking. "My beautiful girl,-" She murmured peering straight into the blue eyes of the man who would end her suffering. "Do it." Her voice was steady.

"Genie." Wordy took a step forward.

"You have to." Genie sobbed, her hand holding the blade lifted.

"You don't want to hurt her." Sam knew he should let Wordy try to reach her, but she fixated on him for some reason. When she shook her head he continued, "This isn't the way Genie."

"It's the way it has to be." She placed the blade on top of the pink blanket, several inches from the baby's face. "DO IT!" she screamed.

* * *

 **6 Hours Earlier**

"Nooooooooooo!" The little face crumpled and large hazel eyes filled with tears.

"Girls?" Wordy used his fatherly glare, eyeing the stairwell to the floor above. "What's going on?"

"See? I told you she was going to get us in trouble."

" _Lilly_?" Wordy started up the stairs, concern elevating as his youngest started to cry.

"Please? Just let me do it!" Lilly whined.

"Do I need to come up there?" Wordy glanced down the stairs to find Shelly with a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other, one eyebrow raised.

"No!" three young voices answered.

"All right." Wordy wasn't convinced, but he descended again. Until he heard, "Phew! He only made it four steps that time!" He chuckled as he landed on the main floor and gave Shelly a quick peck. "Crisis averted."

With a smirk, Shelly nodded. "For now." She turned and returned to the kitchen to finish baking the brownies for the get together with the Finleys down the block.

Wordy followed, watching her swaying hips. When she stopped at the counter, he put his arms around her and laid his head on her shoulder. When she turned in his embrace and gazed up at him, he said, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

She lifted her eyes in thought, then shook her head. "Nope."

"Shelly Wordsworth, you are my sun, moon, and stars. My love for you grows with each sunrise." He brushed his lips over hers, then deepened the kiss, demonstrating exactly what she meant to him.

Breathless, she pulled back. "Love you more Kevin Wordsworth-" Her words were interrupted by a frustrated yell from above, followed by, "Daddy!"

"Coming!" Wordy called before he gave Shelly one last kiss. "They made it four whole minutes this time." Shelly's laugh followed him as he ascended the staircase.

* * *

"Maggie, Polly, and Henry! Come here please!" Renee Finley called from the kitchen. When her three eldest children appeared, she turned to their nanny who attempted to feed her two year old twins breakfast. She stifled a yawn and returned to cutting up vegetables and fruits for the party starting in an hour.

Nanny Regina Nyland directed, "Maggie, take the living room, Polly the kitchen and Henry the bathrooms. Everything needs to be picked up and put away from your assigned room. Don't just dump it somewhere else, it has to go where it belongs. If it's laundry it goes in the baskets and is brought down to the laundry room. Got it?" The nanny eyed each child and got a nod from them.

Polly, eight, sighed and scanned the kitchen. It was a complete disaster with dishes, toys and general stuff littering the room. She ambled over to stand near her mother at the island and pulled open the dishwasher.

Ten-year-old Maggie, turned and strode the few feet to the adjacent living room. She started picking up the clothes strewn around the room and putting them in piles by person.

"Mommaaa!" Five-year-old Henry whined hoping his mother would supercede the nanny's order.

"Henry Michael. You heard me. Now get busy." Nanny Genie said firmly as she dodged a piece of banana Dante chucked at his sister but bounced off her head. "Dante. Be nice to Sissy." She smirked at him before smiling at his two-year-old sister Delia lovingly. The little girl held two fistfuls of banana squished between her fingers, busy licking the bits off. Genie turned to check on Henry and noted he disappeared.

Ten minutes later, Dante and Delia had made a complete mess of themselves. Genie unbelted Dante and put him on the floor. "You hold on a second. We need to get you and Sissy washed up okay?" When he answered with a, "K." She turned and took Delia out of her booster seat. She went to retrieve Dante and he had disappeared. She put Delia on her hip and rushed down the hall. "Dante?"

"He's in here!" Henry called from the bathroom down the hall.

"Thank you Henry. Don't let him get into anything!" Genie hurried down the hall with the messy, babbling little girl on her hip. It was only 9am and she was already tired. _Dang these kids kept me running._ By the time she got the twins cleaned up and upstairs in the playroom, it was nearly time for the party. She rushed downstairs to inspect the rooms she asked the older kids to clean.

Checking the living room, she nodded in satisfaction at the cleanliness. "Thank you Maggie," she smiled at the dark-haired girl on the couch who was playing on her iPod. She went to the closet and pulled out the vacuum. "Just run this over the floor really quick, please. People should start arriving soon."

Maggie rolled her eyes at Genie. "I have to do everything!"

"No, only what I tell you. C'mon, kiddo. You did awesome! One last thing, then you can play. The Wordsworth girls are coming over,-" Genie offered her an incentive. Maggie and Allie Wordsworth had become best friends and inseparable. All of the kids loved the Wordsworth girls, but Maggie and Allie connected and formed a special bond. They first met right before the twins were born, on the neighborhood playground. Maggie was seven and Allie five. They discovered a mutual love for the swings and ended up taking turns pushing each other to see how high they could go until they had been forced to go home.

"Yes!" Maggie jumped up and grabbed the vacuum.

Genie put a hand on Maggie's back, smiled and nodded. She pivoted and entered into kitchen. She loved the huge, naturally lit space created by oversized windows and French doors. Impressive, Polly had done a fantastic job. All of the clean dishes had been put away, the dirty ones were currently being washed in the dishwasher. The book bags had been hung on their designated hooks and shoes stuffed in their cubbies. Polly had wiped the table and all stray toys and clothes picked up and put away. She found Polly standing next to her mother, on a stool, helping her with the food for the party. Moving to the girl, she put her arm around Polly and gave her a hug. "Wonderful job Polly!"

"Thanks Genie." Polly smiled and hugged her nanny back. She loved Genie, even when she made her clean. She took good care of her and her siblings.

After releasing Polly, Genie headed down the hallway to the bathroom, then moved upstairs to check the other three bathrooms. She found Henry in his parent's bathroom, crying. "What's the matter little man?" She crouched to his level.

"It's not fair! The girls only did one room! I had ta do four!" Henry sniffed and wiped his arm across his nose.

Genie pulled some toilet paper off the roll and handed it to him. "Don't use your arm honey." She put a hand on his back. "I'm sorry. Maybe this was too big a job for a little boy. You want some help?"

He nodded and sniffed again. "Yes please." He looked around at the towels hanging on the bar and stuff all over the counter.

"Alright. You grab the towels and put them in the hamper and I'll clean off this counter." Genie put a hand on his cheek and gave him a kiss when he smiled and nodded. After a few minutes they had this bathroom straightened out and had moved on to his sister's bathroom and finally the one he shared with the twins.

Luckily, they finished cleaning just as the guests arrived and the Finley's four month old baby, Cherie woke from her nap. Genie checked on the twins and made sure Henry was playing nice with his siblings in the playroom before taking the baby downstairs to hang out with everyone. As she descended the steps, she nuzzled the little girl and sang to her. She was such a lovely baby. So much easier to care for than the colicky twins. She didn't mind though, she loved all of the Finley children. She loved her job. Yes, taking care of six children wasn't easy, but that's why stay-at-home mom Renee hired her.

Mr. Finley, Jean-Luc, worked long hours on the trading floor trying to support their large family. He was always pleasant to her and appreciative of her help with the children. He came home every night in time to read the kids a story and kiss them goodnight.

Genie entered the kitchen with a fussy Cherie and grabbed a bottle of breast milk from the fridge. She bounced Cherie and patted her bottom, trying to soothe her while they waited for the bottle to warm on the stove. When the baby quieted, she frowned at the sound of soft sobbing coming from the pantry. Pulling the door open, she found Renee quickly wiping her eyes. "Renee? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Genie. Um, I-uh.." Renee averted her eyes and shook her head. _How to tell her?_

"Come sit down." Genie motioned for her to follow her to the kitchen table. "Now you know you can tell me anything. What's happened?" She grabbed the bottle from the stove and started feeding the baby as she sat down near Renee.

Renee ran a hand over her face and gazed at her beautiful baby. _How could this happen?_ "Well, um, good news. I'm pregnant." She couldn't help it, she started crying again. Seven. Even with Genie's help, how could they take care of _seven_ children? She was already dead tired and took a nap every day while Genie handled the twins and the baby. The three oldest were in school, but they would be getting out for the summer soon. "Oh God. How are we going to handle this?" She put her head in her hands and sobbed.

"Oh Renee." Genie shook her head. She loved the Finleys, but _seven_ kids? She and Renee could barely handle them now. By the time this one is born Cheri will barely be a year old. "Have you told Jean-Luc?" She put a comforting hand on Renee's back.

"Yes. He was shocked, but he's happy. He said this was excellent timing because he got a huge raise. They made him head trader in his division. He'll still have to work some long hours, but not on the weekend." Renee grabbed a tissue from the table and blew her nose.

"Obviously you aren't very happy about this." Genie observed.

Renee shook her head as the tears started falling again. "I can't think about this now. I have to start bringing the food out to the patio." She leaned over and kissed her now content daughter who happily suckled her bottle before disappearing to her room. A few minutes later she returned with her make up perfectly applied to hide her still red-rimmed eyes.

"What are we going to do mon Cherie?" Genie whispered to the baby after Renee had left with the first tray. Things in the house were already stressful with six kids to manage. Renee required naps to make it through the day. However, Genie never got a nap. If the twins were awake, the baby was sleeping and vice versa.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all so much for the likes, follows and reviews! I believe this will be 2 more chapters, but don't hold me to it! I do not own Flashpoint!**

Sam sat in his black swivel chair, a bottle of water and a framed picture in his lap, staring out the picture window at the city. His mind wandered back to the day so many years ago. The fateful day when everything in his life changed. The sound of his sister's excited chatter about the puppies in the pet store window floated in his ears.

"They're so cute! Sammy, do you think mom and dad will let us keep one?" Sara bubbled with excitement, her hands on either side of her face pressed to the window. Her blond pigtails bounced and she peered in at the six golden retriever puppies.

Her laughter made him smile, and he placed a hand on her five-year-old back. He knew the answer, but Sam hated to burst her bubble. Gazing at her, he told a half-truth, "Well, we can ask, but puppies are a lot of work."

"I can do it!" With her fists on her hips, she peered at him with determination. "We'd have so much fun playing in the sprinkler!" Sara's eyes sparkled with dreams of the fun times ahead.

"Okay, we'll ask Mom after the park." Sam took her hand in his as she started to skip gleefully. They arrived at the corner, and he pulled her to a stop, keeping her from charging ahead. He let go of her hand so he could push the crosswalk button. It was only a second, but it seemed like it lasted for hours. Sam glanced over, Sarah was a half-step ahead of him and beaming up at him.

A scream rented the air, and she was gone. His eyes moved to the ground and all that was left was a single, pink, sparkly sandal. Sam stared at it and frowned, not registering why the shoe had blood on it. "Sara? Why,-" Confused, he frantically scanned for her. His eyes landed fifteen feet away on a small, blond-haired, crumpled body. "SARA!"

A crowd formed around little girl. A young woman was crying and telling everyone not to touch her, to wait for the paramedics. Sam ran past the car up on the curb and dropped to his knees next to his sister. "Sara? Sara!?" She looked so strange. Her pigtails tinged copper by the blood coming from her head, and her battered face was white as a sheet. Even at seven, Sam knew this was bad. "Wake up, Sara. We need to go home." He kept talking to her, but she wouldn't talk back. Why won't she answer? Why didn't I keep hold of her hand? Keep her safe? This wouldn't have happened if she was on the other side of me. I would be lying there, not her.

Tears fell freely from Sam's eyes. His gaze returning to the picture of he and Sara on her last birthday, three days before she died. Oh Sara, I'm so sorry. You should be here now. You'd be twenty-two today. We'd celebrating. His heart broke into tiny pieces and fell around him. After several minutes he wiped his eyes and moved the snapshot back to the worn spot on his desk. With a sigh, he strolled to his window, put his bent arm against the pane, staring out. I wish I didn't have to work today. Maybe it'll be the distraction I need. Keep busy enough not to remember.

* * *

"Hi Mr. Wordsworth, Mrs. Wordsworth." Genie smiled at Wordy and Shelly as she walked across the spacious yard with Cherie. Three families from the neighborhood had already arrived, and the older children started a game of tag.

"Hey, Genie. How are you?" Wordy grinned at the Finley's nanny. Whenever they met her at the local playground with the girls he noticed how caring, loving, but firm she handled the children. The two of them sometimes struggled with keeping their three girls out of trouble, it amazed him how well Genie handled the Finley six. "And it's Kevin, please."

"And Shelly." She hugged Genie, gently so as not to smoosh Cherie. "Hello, sweet girl," Shelly cooed and was rewarded with a happy burble from the baby.

"I'm good." Genie's half hearted attempt at a smile didn't reach her eyes. The revelation Renee shared weighing heavily on her mind.

"You sure?" Wordy sensed a tenseness and frowned slightly.

Nodding, Genie took a breath. "Yes. The children were so excited your kids were coming today."

"Extra energetic today?" Shelly chortled. "Our girls couldn't wait either. They spent most of the morning making special birthday cards for Maggie, then fighting over who's was the prettiest."

"I'll never understand how they have so much energy." Genie tilted her head towards the ten children running and screaming around the fenced in yard.

Wordy blew out a breath, puffing his cheeks. "Me either." He laughed.

"May I?" Shelly put out her arms towards the baby.

"Oh sure." Genie reluctantly handed over the baby. Henry's cries caused her to turn, and she found him face down in the dirt under the swings.

Maggie knelt next to her brother, a hand on his back. "You okay Henry?"

The little boy put a fist to his eye and rubbed as he sat up, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Reaching him, Genie assessed him quickly. He didn't appear to be seriously injured. "What happened honey?"

"I fell off the swing!" Henry wailed.

"Where does it hurt?" Genie laid a comforting hand on him, waiting to pick him up in case it was more serious than it looked.

"My tummy!"

"Can I take a look?"

"Henry!" Renee rushed over and scooped up her young son.

"I think he's alright. Mags, did you see how he got hurt?" Genie turned to the oldest.

"He was swinging and leaned too far forward. He did a faceplant," Maggie explained. "I told him not to do that but he never listens." She shook her head.

"Is Henry alright?" Holly Wordsworth inquired. She was running from Joanna DeVry when she stopped to see what the noise was about.

"Yes, thank you for asking, Holly. I think he just scared himself." Renee held Henry close. The little boy, his head on her shoulder, hiccuped every time he sniffed as he calmed down.

"I'm sorry he got scared." Holly tipped her head to catch Henry's eye. "Henry, are you all done being scareded? We're going to play Red Rover. You wanna play?"

Henry lifted his head from his mom's shoulder and nodded, sniffing one last time. He wriggled and his mom let him down. When Genie put her hand on his head, he beamed at her then took off running after Holly.

Genie tracked the little boy with love in her eyes. He was a precocious, rough and tumble, typical boy and she adored him. When Renee put a hand on her shoulder, she agreed and returned to Shelly and her baby. Hmm, she mused, this is the first time I actually referred to her as mine. She took Cherie back from Shelly and gazed into those beautiful, deep blue eyes. Well why not? She is more mine than Renee's. I take care of her, bathe, feed and rock her to sleep. All of them feel like they're mine.

That thought caused mix emotions. Love, adoration and fierce protectiveness over the children she cared so deeply for, and an unfulfilled yearning for the one thing every woman desired but she would never have. As the party continued, and after she checked on the four kids in the playroom, Cherie became fussier. After several minutes, Genie found Renee talking to Mrs. DeVry and tapped her boss' shoulder. "Cherie needs her night-night, but with several of the kids in the playroom, there's no way she'll stay asleep."

"Mmm." Renee looked at the upper floor of the house to the playroom window. "They doing okay up there?"

"Oh yes. The twins are coloring with Julie DeVry and Lilly Wordsworth. The DeVry's nanny Tina is keeping an eye on them." Genie juggled an overtired and crying Cherie. "I'm going to take Cherie for a walk to the park. She'll be out like a light before we get there."

"Works like a charm, every time." Renee agreed and gave Cherie a kiss on the cheek. "Love you baby."

When the infant wailed louder, several people said, "aww." One, Sally Wass, pouted her lips. "Tired baby." Genie ducked her head in agreement and used Cherie's arm to wave to everyone. She hurried inside, packed a diaper bag, moved to the garage and laid Cherie in her stroller. She bounced the stroller a bit as she made a shushing noise as she walked. After several minutes, the little girl finally quieted and her eyes closed.

What's going to happen when the new little one comes? Will Rene and Jean-Luc be able to give Cherie the same amount of love and attention? Genie shook her head. They'll have even less time. That's not right. They don't deserve her. I can love her and give her everything she needs. She swiped the tears from her eyes as she reached the local park and kept walking.

* * *

 **Two hours later - 1400hrs**

"How was your party?" Greg questioned as he pedaled the stationary bike.

"Tons of kids there so it was a little chaotic, but it was fun. The girls loved it. So much so I barely got a goodbye when I left." Wordy chuckled, leaned forward and pumped his legs faster to bring the elliptical up to speed.

"Aww." Jules stuck her lip out.

"Poor daddy." Spike gave Wordy a sympathetic look from the free weights as he did bicep curls.

"How many kids did you say the neighbors who hosted the party have?" Leah joined the discussion.

"Six! I don't know how they do it." Wordy shook his head.

"Got some catching up to do, buddy," Spike teased.

Sam listened, but didn't comment. I was hoping to avoid thinking about little kids today He turned up the speed on the treadmill and put in one of his earbuds so he could listen to his music, but still engage in the conversation if he wanted. He looked up when he felt eyes on him. "What?" He frowned at Ed who stared at him.

"You alright there Sam?" The team leader tipped his chin at their sniper. He noticed Sam seemed a little down today. He appeared quieter than usual.

"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry, I had my music a little loud." Sam tapped the volume button on his iPod. "What were you guys saying?"

"Asking Wordy when they were having the next one so they can compete with their neighbors." Spike winked at Wordy and dodged the towel thrown at him.

Sam cackled at the look on Spike's face when the towel smacked him across his cheek.

"Sometime next to never. Pretty sure Shel and I are done." Wordy smiled. "I can't keep up with my three as it is."

"But they're so much fun." Jules beamed as she thought about the all the joy babysitting the girls brought. "Of course, I get to wind them up and then-" She put her hands up and opened her fingers towards Wordy, "here ya go!" She snickered when Wordy rolled his eyes and searched for another towel, but found none.

"Oh yeah! Thanks!" Wordy smirked at her when he couldn't find something to throw at her. His girls love hanging with Auntie Jules. They love all their honorary aunts and uncles.

Ed covertly watched Sam. Maybe I'll pull him aside after workout. He's not himself today. He gazed over at Greg across from him on the bike and they had a short, silent conversation. After exercising, as everyone made their way to the showers, they stepped to the side.

"You think something's up?" Greg eyed his longtime friend.

"I don't know, he just seems, off, today." His blue eyes held Boss' brown.

"He said he was okay. I don't think we should push, but we should make it a patrol day. You two don't ride together often enough."

"Copy that." Nodding, he patted Greg on the back and they strode to the locker room. This was why he was Boss. Ever insightful and in tune with his team.

After they all changed, they broke into pairs, Wordy and Spike, Jules and Leah and Sam and Ed. Greg stated he would stay at the barn and work on his never-ending pile of paperwork.

"What do you say Sam? Hit the south side, stop at Green Door Deli for supper tonight?" Ed asked as they headed to the SUVs.

The younger man shrugged as he climbed in the passenger side. "Sure. Their subs are great."

"Oh man! I love Green Door." Spike groaned as he got in the driver side of their SUV, his stomach growling. Their veal and pepper sandwiches are to die for.

"No problem Spike, we'll take the west and hit the new Jamaican/Asian fusion place you wanted to try." Wordy peered at his partner for the night as he closed his door.

"Hmm." Jules made a face at Leah in the shotgun seat as they left the garage. She liked both of those types of food, but sometimes the new age fusion places could be iffy.

"Pizza?" Leah raised her brows.

"Now you're talkin'. Which means we're taking the east to hit Mr. Z's."

"Copy, copy." Ed acknowledged as he turned them towards the south.

* * *

 **Finley home, 1500hrs**

"Thank you so much for having us." Shelly picked up some of the shrapnel left from the party and threw it in the trash.

"Really Shelly, you don't have to do that. I can clean all of this up." Renee placed a platter of leftover meats in the fridge. A cry from the living room had her sprinting the few feet to the opening. "Kids? What's going on?" She put her fists on her hips.

"Henry isn't sharing!" Polly cried, the back of one hand wiping her eyes, the other pointing at her brother, who held a punch balloon left over from the kid's goody bags.

"You have your own goody bag. Where's your balloon?" Renee asked.

"That is mine. Henry popped his!" Polly put her head back and wailed.

"Alright, Polly, it's not the end of the world." Renee soothed. Where is Genie? She knows I'm going to take my nap when Henry takes his. "Henry, give your sister her balloon. There are a few left. Come pick a new one. But, you can only play with it after your nap."

The little boy hopped up excitedly, but his face fell when he heard the word nap. "I don't wanna take a nap!" Henry furrowed his brows at his mother.

"I promise we'll do something fun when you wake up okay?" Renee, with a hand on his head and walked him to the other room. "C'mon, let's pick out another balloon."

"Okay, Momma." Henry sighed as they crossed the entryway to the kitchen, picked a balloon from the bag on the table then went to where the Wordsworth girls were putting on their shoes.

"Bye, Henry! Bye, Mags! Bye, Polly!" The three girls gave the older Finley kids hugs. The twins stayed engrossed in the playroom during the party and were currently sleeping in their room.

Renee resumed putting the leftovers away when she stopped to check the time. She frowned and searched for her cell before locating it on the counter by the stove. Three p.m.? She glanced at Shelly who was wrapping up the last of the odds and ends and putting the few dishes in the sink. "Did you see Genie and Cherie come back from their walk?"

With a frown, Shelly shook her head. "No I don't think so. I didn't realize that's where they went."

"Kids? Any of you seen Genie or Cherie?" Renee turned to the six children.

As one they answered, "No."

Her heartbeat kicked up a notch. Weird. They must be upstairs. "Henry, let's go upstairs for your nap."

Reluctantly, the little boy waved to the girls and plodded up the steps with his mom.

After tucking Henry into bed and checking on the twins, Renee ambled down the hall to Cherie's room. Pushing open the door quietly, she frowned when she found the crib empty. Funny, her dresser drawers are open. She walked to the bureau and gasped when she discovered two of the drawers empty. She observed the changing table next to the cradle, the diapers and wipes were missing from the shelf. But that's normal. She would pack a diaper bag to take on the walk, she chided herself. But where the hell are they?

With a quicker pace, she moved to her bedroom next to the baby's. When she found it empty, she checked the playroom and Maggie's room. Nothing. Her heart raced as she resumed her search on the main floor, checking Genie's room. What is going on?

"Renee? Is everything okay?" Shelly asked worriedly when Renee stepped in the kitchen appearing a little frantic.

"It's been almost three hours. Where could they be?" Tears started to form in her eyes as she stared at Shelly.

"Don't panic. Have you called or texted her?" Shelly used her calming voice, the one she used after one of the girls had a nightmare.

"No." Renee grabbed her phone from the table and dialed. She nervously chewed her nails as she waited for Genie to pick up. "Genie, it's Renee. Please call me. Where are you? Is Cherie alright?" After leaving the message she switched to her texting app. "Where ru? Did something happen to Cherie? Call me ASAP!" After the text went through she gaped at the phone, willing it to ring.

Thirty minutes, two more calls and three texts later, Renee was beside herself with worry. Where is my baby? Oh God, please let them be okay. Don't let anything happen to my baby or Genie. Renee sat at the kitchen table, head in her hands, her shoulders shaking with the racking sobs.

"Kevin? I need you to come to the Finley's. No, now. Genie and Cherie are missing." Shelly hung up and turned to Renee. "They're on their way." Five fearful set of eyes met hers in the entryway, and she suggested they go into the living room to hang out for a bit longer.


End file.
